I'm at a cross roads I think.
I've been over this once before:
The danger's of Auto-Pilot.
How do we deal with the temptation of auto-mode? Usually we tell the budding Diddy Kong to play a 'Smart Diddy' but have we ever stopped to really define what 'Smart Diddy' refers to?
We usually define the 'Smart Diddy Kong' by what it is not.
So what is a 'Smart Diddy'?
I think when we define a 'Smart Diddy' we refer to players that play either Reactively or Proactively:
Going by the reccomendation I put forth in the text I quoted, it would seem that 'Pro-active play' is the better kind of play.
And it is, really. In theory, it's the best kind of Diddy. Heck, it's the best kind of ANYTHING. But being a 'reactive' player can be beneficial in some ways too.
Being reactive, means dancing around with Diddy Kong, keeping your self well spaced, waiting for that one little mistake. Waiting for the opponent to throw out a laggy attack, instead of a quick one, waiting for them to freeze up and shield, anything.
Once they make this mistake, it also refers to your ability to capitalize on it. Leading in with a Glide Tossed Banana or pressuring that shield to get that grab on their shield.
I keep finding myself doing this when I need to turn the tide of a match around. It's worked several times and won me matches I would have lost if I didn't drastically change up my play style.
Despite this. Proactive players will always be superior. Creating the situations which lead to banana combo's, rather than waiting for them to appear.
After all this, I've yet to answer the question outright. What is a Smart Diddy? Proactive? Reactive?
I'd wager it's a subtle blend of both of these playstyles. In a way, it's no different to the way we play normally. We are always trying to adhere to Isai's advice 'Don't Get Hit', whilst trying to lay down the banana combos, but that is easier said than done unless you're actively thinking about it.
You have to walk into a match and think to yourself 'Okay, for this match, I will play defensively. I will foxtrot about with a banana in hand and try to bait a laggy attack so I can punish him'. That's an example of a 'reactive' mindset.
In the end, it's something that I know some people out there will read and will pass it off as information they already know. It is really, at higher levels of play, players will do this instinctively anyway. Higher level players are able to engineer and force the situations that lead into banana combos, rather than wait for them to happen. By laying traps with the bananas, creating positional advantage through strategic banana placement, and other methods of harassment and bullying with various poking attacks like the F & D-tilts.
So perhaps, to define the 'Smart Diddy' we can refer to it as 'A Diddy Kong that will engineer situations using the various tools at his/her disposal to force mistakes from the opponent, creating opportunities to react to their mistakes with offensive, combo orientated play'
I've been over this once before:
The danger's of Auto-Pilot.
How do we deal with the temptation of auto-mode? Usually we tell the budding Diddy Kong to play a 'Smart Diddy' but have we ever stopped to really define what 'Smart Diddy' refers to?
We usually define the 'Smart Diddy Kong' by what it is not.
Smart Diddy's do not blindly throw bananas until one hits and then head into auto-combo mode.Alot of the time I'm like 'whee, my bananas are like, hitting you and stuff, combo combo combo, I win!' and half the time I'm not really thinking about it as much as I should.
So what is a 'Smart Diddy'?
I think when we define a 'Smart Diddy' we refer to players that play either Reactively or Proactively:
The crossroads I spoke of before is deciding between these two playstyles.So then arises the issues of 'Reactive' and 'Proactive' play.
As I understand it, reactive play is reading the opponent, and reacting to put yourself into advantageous positions. It is almost the complete opposite of Diddy's trademark pressure play. However, it is not without merit, as you'll understand that being able to react in such a way as to play a very safe game will be beneficial, provided that you are able to outplay the opponent.
I can play like this with characters like Marth, who is exceptionally good when played with a 'reactive' play style.
However, I believe that the best kind of Diddy Kong (And best kind of player) will play 'Proactively'. The proactive player will seek to create these advantageous situations themselves, and these types of players, are those like Azen and M2K.
Proactive Diddy's will use their bananas, amongst other things, to force the opponent into a position that is good for you and bad for them. And, naturally, we all try to play like this. All the Diddy's here play like this (I think).
...
'Smart banana play is good banana play, don't just glide toss those bananas because you can, and hope for the best'
But then, I'm sure alot of you will say that you knew this already. I just really felt like posting my own conclusions somewhere after that last meet. I'm always the first to say 'I might be wrong, and I probably am' so if you have a different opinion, I want to hear it. My knowledge of reactive and proactive play are courtesy of Mookie's 'Playing to Learn' thread.
Going by the reccomendation I put forth in the text I quoted, it would seem that 'Pro-active play' is the better kind of play.
And it is, really. In theory, it's the best kind of Diddy. Heck, it's the best kind of ANYTHING. But being a 'reactive' player can be beneficial in some ways too.
Being reactive, means dancing around with Diddy Kong, keeping your self well spaced, waiting for that one little mistake. Waiting for the opponent to throw out a laggy attack, instead of a quick one, waiting for them to freeze up and shield, anything.
Once they make this mistake, it also refers to your ability to capitalize on it. Leading in with a Glide Tossed Banana or pressuring that shield to get that grab on their shield.
I keep finding myself doing this when I need to turn the tide of a match around. It's worked several times and won me matches I would have lost if I didn't drastically change up my play style.
Despite this. Proactive players will always be superior. Creating the situations which lead to banana combo's, rather than waiting for them to appear.
After all this, I've yet to answer the question outright. What is a Smart Diddy? Proactive? Reactive?
I'd wager it's a subtle blend of both of these playstyles. In a way, it's no different to the way we play normally. We are always trying to adhere to Isai's advice 'Don't Get Hit', whilst trying to lay down the banana combos, but that is easier said than done unless you're actively thinking about it.
You have to walk into a match and think to yourself 'Okay, for this match, I will play defensively. I will foxtrot about with a banana in hand and try to bait a laggy attack so I can punish him'. That's an example of a 'reactive' mindset.
In the end, it's something that I know some people out there will read and will pass it off as information they already know. It is really, at higher levels of play, players will do this instinctively anyway. Higher level players are able to engineer and force the situations that lead into banana combos, rather than wait for them to happen. By laying traps with the bananas, creating positional advantage through strategic banana placement, and other methods of harassment and bullying with various poking attacks like the F & D-tilts.
So perhaps, to define the 'Smart Diddy' we can refer to it as 'A Diddy Kong that will engineer situations using the various tools at his/her disposal to force mistakes from the opponent, creating opportunities to react to their mistakes with offensive, combo orientated play'